Process for the production of flexible floor-, wall- and like covers



Patented Dec. 13, 1932 UNITED-STATES PATENT oFF'I E PAUL CHRISTIAAN vim m WILnIenN; or xRoMMENin, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNQR or (ONE-HALF TO N. v. NEDERLANDSGHE LINOLEUMFAIBRIEK, or KROMMENIE, NETH- ERLANDS, A DUTCH LIMITED COMPANY PRocEss Forearm PRODUCTION or FLEXIBLE snooze, WALL- Ann LIKE oovnns v No Drawing. Application filed November 23, 1928 Serial No. 321,518, and in the Itetherlands 'December 8, 1927. i

This invention relates to a process for the production of flexible flo'or-, wallandlike covers, which process differs essentially from the usual way of manufacturing.

According to the .known processes the manufacture of these colvers or of linoleum takes always-place by mixing the composing constituents in numerousand" expensive mixersand kneading machines. According to this invention these machines becomes superfluous by bringing the composing constituents into colloid 'suspens'ion, respectively colloid emulsion and preferably using water or aqueous solutions as dispersing means. Then the colloid suspension, respectively colloid emulsions are mixed, after which the system is coagulated either by adding electrolytes, or by means of-the electric current or otherwse. It will be manifest, that the substances, which are dispersed in water, must be as finely divided as possible. Though water is preferred by virtue of its cheapness, the process of the invention'may also be carried out by means of other solvents.

Whereas in the manufacture of linoleum the mixing of linoxyne and the fillers and colouring substances is effected in a long way and costs much energy, the mlxing of colloid solutions immediately gives a substantially perfect mixture of the dispersed substances and the coagulation can be effected in such a way, that said intensive mixture rests maintained or is even improved. ."When the aqueous solution has been removed, the coagulated mass may be used for manufacturing flooror similar covers.

According to a further feature of this invention, the usually employed binding means for linoleum, viz. ox dized oils or linoxyne may be substituted by other hydrophobe. binding means, e. g. rubber or asphalt.

In general the starting materials may be considered to be colloid suspensions, respectively colloid emulsions of substances, which in the coagulated state do not swell with or dissolve in water and which form a plastic, elastic mass. Particularly suitable are colloid emulsions of oils, respectively oxidized oils or polymerized oils or latex and asphaltic emulsions, or mixtures of these emulsions.

j When using colloid emulsions of mass, consisting of lumps and grains, obtained afterthe removal of the greater part of the water, may be oxidized by means of, airior otherwise. By reason of the great surface the oxidation occurs in a short time in contradistinction to the oxidation of the liquid linseed oil in the linoleum manufacture according to the Walton process, which costs much Eime, since the surface of the linseed oil is WVhen using latex, a vulcanizer must be added, which is in colloidzsolution before the coagulation. Substances in crystalloid solution. are generally of no use, since thesesubstances only pass fora small part into the mass. The same applies to theaccelerator and the anti-ager tobe added and occasional ly for the softeningagents,which are often employed in rubber manufacture, V V

- When using colloid asphaltic emulsions ,it is tobe recommended'to 'add a softening agent, for whichpurpose different oils (e. g. linseed oilor castor oil,etc.) in "emulsified state may be used. 7 v l In the linoleum manufacture cork 'or wood meal is much=-employed as; elastic filler. These materials can be easily brought in aqueous colloid suspension, provided they are-in a very finely divided state.

these very fine materials in ,a solution of; soap, join'ers. glue or an analogous 'emulsifying agent. .However this invention is not at alI limitedto the particular method of preparing thecolloid suspensions 'orjemulsions. known one can make colloid aqueous suspensions .from most of the paints or, colouring substances and filler'sa s e. g[.' BaSO (Ia-O03, ZnO, lithopone, china clay, etc. provided the starting material consists of very fine particles orarises in ythis form iii 'the--.reaotion mixture,

eg. solutions of -salts,,as, BaG12;"alum or the electric current may effect the, coagula 7 tion. H .The .coagulatedfmass may. be freed from most'of'thewatene.g..bymeans ofdjecanting 196 p 7 s i :z ,1 Thismay be efiected by vlgorously stirring V 7 The advantage of executing the manufac-'v ture in an aqueous medium is here also ap parent, since all soluble substances, which were eventually present in the starting materials or are added during the manufacture, are removed when the water is separated so thata floor cover is obtained, which only consists of material, which is not soluble in water. The feature that the covers. accordtion covering material which comprises mixing to this invention are not acted upon by water is a very important property for floorcovers. When starting from glue, gelatine, starch, paper-fibres, etc. this property can not at all or only incompletely be obtained, no matter in which way the'tanning has been performed.

The invention is illustrated by the following example, but is not limited to the quantities or materials specified herein.

. Example v 50liters of a colloid emulsion (containing of linoxyne and 5% of resin) are mixed with 100 liters of an aqueous colloid suspension of 10 kg of corkmeal, 10 kg of china-clay and 10 kg of ochre with 0,5 kg of joiners glue as emulsifying agent. The emulsion of li-,

noxyne and resin maybe prepared by dissolv f ing these substances in a solvent, e. g. acetic acid and pouring this solution in water.

However any method of preparing the.

emulsion is suitable for this purpose and the invention is not limited to this particular method of preparing same.

When the colloid emulsion and suspensions are mixe'd,"the whole system is coagulated.

During all these operations themass is quicking colloidal emulsions of latex, asphalt and linox ne" with coloring and filling'matter in substantially colloidal suspended 7 form, and then coagulating the mixture.

,2. A method of manufacturing a com-posiing colloidal emulsions of latex, asphalt and linoxyne with coloring'and filling matter in substantially colloidal suspended form, and;

then coagulating the mixture electrolytically.

3. A method of'manu-facturing linoleum,

which comprises mixing a colloidal suspension of l 1noxyne with a substantially colloidal suspension of filling and coloring substances,

and then coagulating the mixture, andworkingup the coagulated mass into a flat layer.

In testimony whereof I have signed my to this specification.

name

' PAULCHRISTIAAN van (let WILLIGEN.

1y. mechanically stirred. Then the greater" part of water is removed by filtration and the mass is dried and madefin a press or other-- wise into floor cover, with a thickness of a few 45 millimeters. I v

. In the case of rubber latex colloid sulfur ma be added in such a quantity, that the proportion of rubber tosulfur is approximately 7 100:5. Moreover a smallfquantity of'an accelerator e. g. diphenylthiourea ina colloid I solution (obtained'eJg. by pourin'g an alcoholic solution in water) may be'added. The

7 manufacture takes place in thesame way as described with reference to the process'with linoxyne,"but the final product may be heated inorder to finish the vulcanization. The floor covers, or similar covers, pro- 'duced according to this invention excel by V 7 66 itheirjelasticity, flexibility, and waterproof quality and moreover. by a great tensile strength.) By virture of this feature the use ofj'expensive textile fabrics may be omitted .in these covers in several cases.

As'ajresult of this feature considerableex- 'penses are avoided compared to linoleum.

Jan 

